Review on Enhance Your Audio Experience with SIMOLIO 2 Channels IR Audio Transmitter by Robb Fillmore

I was originally thinking and researching a digital surround system for our backyard projector/movie theater (which can cost $1,000). Then I figured I'd just buy a high-end powered speaker like the Mackie Thump 12. The problem comes on summer evenings when it doesn't get dark until after 9pm and we can't watch a weekday movie without disturbing our neighbors. How about our Bluetooth headphones/transmitters or Airpods? It turns out that current Bluetooth technology has audio latency - which means the sound is slightly delayed compared to the picture, so in a movie it could appear as if the voice and sound were synced/lip-synched. Of course, you can pay more for low-latency Bluetooth headphones, but when I want to watch a movie with several people outside, the Bluetooth low-latency technology only allows audio to be transmitted to one headphone. How about HF headsets like the Sennheiser RS 175? Transmitter and headphones? Sure, but you can only connect two headsets at a time and the system will cost you $250-$300. That's when I had an "Aha!" moment - which if I took the infrared headphones that came with our SUV's rear seat entertainment system - we could watch movies in peace outdoors, without our neighbors disturb! And since headsets use an infrared signal, we can get stereo sound without delay, since light travels much faster than Bluetooth or radio! The only risk is that my SUV's manual doesn't specify what IR frequency the headphones operate on. I figured out about $30 ($26.99 plus $2.29 sales tax) and the Revain money back policy, why not try this. The Simolio 2 channel IR emitter arrived in 2 days, I installed it (just plug in the power cord, connect the 3.5mm male cable to the projector, select channel A or B on the emitter, same channel on the headset select and max the volume of the sound source - the sound volume can be adjusted in the headphones but needs to transmit the IR signal as far as possible), and it works great for our outdoor projector/theatre. No more annoying neighbors. I've included photos of our two teenagers playing a Nintendo Switch video game on an outdoor cinema screen. You sit about 15 feet from the screen. My projector is about 23ft from the screen and I have a 3.5mm stereo cable that is 25ft long that connects the projector to the Simolio audio transmitter (if I want to use our outdoor speakers I use the same 25ft -plug 3.5 mm for stereo plug lines). I tend to use Channel B - just because I see a green light on the transmitter when using that channel, but Channel A (showing red light) and Channel B both work with my existing off-road headsets. Since we have four headsets that come with the SUV, we can see and hear up to four people at once (and with no audio lag!). I think I could get more viewers by buying more IR headsets but for now four headsets works for what we need when our kids and up to 2 friends are also watching. Theoretically we can attract up to five viewers by connecting our Apple TV, connecting the Bluetooth on a set of Airpods directly to the Apple TV and the other 4 to an infrared port working from the projector (which is connected to an HDMI). Cable to the Apple TV) and to the Simolio transmitter. As long as there is line of sight between the transmitter and the IR headset, the audio is crisp, clear and stereo. I even tried moving at an angle close to the cinema screen and the sound worked to the point where I didn't want to look at the screen at that angle anymore anyway (about 10 degrees, that's too steep angle to watch a movie - at best we sit about 60 degrees from the transmitter and the center of the outdoor cinema screen). Just keep the distance between the chair/sofa and the screen/transmitter and you won't have any hearing problems. Out of curiosity I went over 50ft and still got great sound - not that we've ever sat that far. However, you *have to be looking at the screen/transmitter* when you put on the headset. If you turn your head to the side, the headset will not register the IR signal from the transmitter (remember that these are line-of-sight signals with IR wave frequencies that carry sound, so what's blocking the signal creates a shadow behind it, so that the signal arrives at the headset) - not a problem if you don't constantly look at the person sitting next to you (e.g. small children who have to be told to shut up and watch a movie). All in all, a $30 well spent will work with our existing SUV headsets (Our SUV is made by General Motors, so any GM vehicle will probably work with an OEM rear seat entertainment headset - not guaranteed, but in less than $30, maybe well order and try and see if it works - to my knowledge most headsets use the universal frequencies that the Simolio IR Audio IR emitter uses, so they should be compatible). Best of all, the headphones and IR emitter are in stereo, so movies sound like you're in a movie, with left/right audio, but with no decibels to bother our neighbors. And I didn't have to shell out tons of dollars for an expensive surround sound system, powered speakers, or Bluetooth/RF headsets and transmitters. Very happy with the purchase. Even if the IR emitter fails in a year or two I will buy another emitter for $30 to replace it as we will definitely get some use out of the emitter. But there are no moving parts, and I can't imagine this thing breaking unless I accidentally step on it, drop it, leave it in the rain, or make some other user error. Hope this will be helpful. Update 7/15/20: A digital version of the IR emitter (with optical audio input) is now available for about $9 more and comes with a male-to-male optical cable (appears to be about 3 feet long). . I ordered on 06/26/2020 and a newer product is available since 07/15/2020. I would order the optical audio version as my Apple TV has an optical audio output. If this analog version dies, maybe I'll just switch to the digital version. Anyway, I'm still very happy with the purchase - just a shame Revain didn't release a digital version sooner or just showed that it was out of stock (the product question/answers mention digital and analogue versions several times) and i would wait to order a newer version compatible with optical audio. PS It is important to turn up the volume of your audio/video source as high as possible. The volume can be adjusted in the headphones. I've found that I hear more hiss when the volume of my audio source is low, but when I turn it on, the IR signal "gets stronger" and the hiss goes away. I keep the projector volume at its highest level, which is 10, and each person turns the volume up or down in their headset.